Improvement in musical instruments



T. ATKINS & u. BREWER.

Musical Instruments.

N0 147 739, Patented Feb.24.1874.

QQ H ES F xnven rows Mimi/7110650076 (QM )ffoua/mtk M00118.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ATKINS AND HENRY :oREwER, nEeEAsEn, (HENRY o'o sLER, EXEooToR orHENRY BREWER) or omomNATi, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,739, dated February24, 1874; application filed April 7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, TnoMAs ATKINS and HENRY DREWER, of Cincinnati, inthe county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification Our invention relates to the means employed for connectingthe metallic bridge upon whichthe sounding mediums are mounted to thesounding-board of the instrument; and consists in providing a metallicpost or conductor which, preferably, has a transverse area nearly equalto the transverse area of the bar upon which the vibrating mediums aremeant ed, which post or conductor is rigidly attached to the metallicbridge, and connects it to the sounding-board at one or more points nearthe center thereof.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our invention attached to thesounding-board of an instrument of limited compass, and with the actionremoved. Fig. 2 is a transverse verti cal section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atop-plan view on the line H 11', Fi 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe part i, Fig. 3. Fig. .3 is a perspective of one end of the frameshown in Fi 3. Fig. 6 is a side view of the parts 0, Fig. 1.

A a a B represent the frame of an upright instrument, which is used forconvenience to show one 'ay in which our improvements may be applied. Anupright piano-forte action is intended to be employed in operating thesame.

It is obvious that our invention can be used in any form of instrument,and can be combined with reed-organs in the same manner common to pianoattachments with organs.

E, Fig. 3, represents a metallic bridge made of an open parallelogramform, as shown. a rep resents a sharp metallic edge formed upon the rearinner side of the frame. H H represent brackets attached to the frame Aof the instrument. c 0 represent tenons with cushions made of softfibrous material, like cloth,

leather, or anything which is a non-conductor of sound. The tenons c 0rest in the brackets H H, which are employed solely to sustain theweight of the frame E, which would otherwise be upon the sounding-board.c represents metallic bars made of sonorous metal, steel beingpreferred. 0 represents a small notch made in one side, at or near thecenter of the bar. This notch serves to keep the bars from slipping onthe bridge. A small sharp notch is preferred. 0 represents a strip ofsoft elastic material, such as flannel, rubber, or any substance whichwill act as a deadener or non conductor of sound. '2' represents a thinstrip of metal with slots f cut in the same, as shown in Fi 4. d represents set-serews working in the front part c of the frame E, as shown inFi 3.

The bars 0 are secured in position in frame E as follows: The notch c isplaced upon the sharp edge e,- the deadenerstrip o is placed against thefront side of c; the slotted strip iis placed upon the front side of 0the set-screws dare then turned against the slotted part f of the plate1', by being slotted, as shown. The metal between the two slots iseasily pressed against the deadener 0, opposite the bars 0, and henceeach bar can be adjusted or removed by the loosening of only one of theset-screws, while the deadener 0 and strip i are still held in positionby the remaining screws.

F represents a metallic piece, firmly attached to, or made a part of,the frame E. Its location is central, both to the sides of theinstrument and to the bridge E, and it is con neeted to thesounding-board at or near its central point, measuring from each of itsfour sides or corners. 7 represents a secondary bridge, made of wood,firmly attached to the the sounding-board 1), midway between the top andbottom thereof, and the lower end of E is firmly secured to g midwaybetween. its two ends.

It is important to have the bridge E and at taching-post F rigidlyconnected to the frame of the instrument, and at the same time to thesoumling-board D, so that the parts E and F will neither of them shakeor vibrate. The frame E must also be isolated from the frame of theinstrument by suitable deadeners, 0, so that the metallic parts areprevented from contact with the frame A or the brackets H, while thebest form of conducting sound to the sounding-board is employed. Themetallic part of the bridge E may be cast in one piece, or made ofseveral pieces, and bolted together. The sounding-post F is extendeddownward, for the sole purpose of attaching it to the sounding-board ator near the center thereof, and is a material feature of our invention.

The vibratory mediums c are different in principle from the hookssecured to us in Letters Patent No. 116,793, dated July 11, 1871. Theparts 0 here shown must have two free vibratory ends tuned in unison,whereas the hooks shown in em former patent may be made with only onevibrating hook, and when two or more hooks are employed, each hook mustbe tuned in a different octave from the others. The parts 6 here shownproduce a tone superior in quality to our former device, with lessexpenditure of material. At the same time they are much cheaper and moreeasily made, tuned, and adjusted.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new is 1. hesounding'post F, in combination with the bridge E and the sounding-boardof a musical instrument, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of the parts 0, E, and F with the sounding-board of amusical instrument, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The wooden bridge or support g, in conr bination with the parts D, E,and F, substantially as herein set forth.

4. The bridge B,-composcd of the parts 0, c, and c, in combination withthe parts 1 0, and d, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day ofMarch, 1873.

THOS. ATKINS. HENRY DRE WE l. Witnesses:

EDWARD Born, J OIIN OGana.

